Irish cameraman Frankie Leonard is to capture the adventures of Team Sanya as they circumnavigate the world in the 2011-2012 Volvo Ocean Race. Leonard will act as media crew member on the Chinese sailing team as they travel around the world competing in the famous race.
The Volvo Ocean Race was run for the first time in 2001-2002 and is the ‘Everest of Sailing’. It will begin in Alicante, Spain in October 2011 and concludes in Galway, Ireland in 2012 with the teams sailing over 39,000 nautical miles.
Frankie’s position will be a demanding role requiring skills in filming, editing, directing, photography and journalism, all to be carried out in the extreme onboard conditions. It will be Frankie’s job to capture the drama on the boat so that action onboard can be transmitted to living rooms around the world. All media captured will be transferred to Volvo Ocean Race HQ via satellite to be used for various programmes and web blogs.
Skipper for Chinese sailing Team Sanya, Mike Sanderson says that the coverage of the event by Frankie will ensure their experiences are shared with as many land lovers as possible. It will “play a key role in achieving that objective!” says Sanderson “We have a potential 1.2 billion Chinese fans out there, as well as our Irish and international fans, and so we need to find a unique way to engage with them, inspire them to follow us and get them into the sport of sailing.”
Frankie Leonard commented on his appointment as Media Crew Member saying ”The Volvo Ocean Race is the most historic offshore regatta in world sailing, it is considered by many to be the ‘Everest of Sailing’. It is a huge deal that this race is coming back to Ireland and that the final stopover will be in Galway, my hometown. I am extremely proud to be an Irishman onboard Team Sanya and it will be a proud day when we sail back into Galway Bay having completed the 39,000 nautical miles.”
Frankie has joined the Chinese sailing team this week in the UK to start documenting the Team Sanya story as it unfolds and as the boat goes through its makeover. The footage captured will be used for media coverage of the race worldwide. Frankie has previously worked in the crew as camera assistant and clapper loader on productions including ‘The Guard’, ‘Stella Days’, ‘Death of a Superhero’ and TV series ‘Corp & Anam’.
For updates on the Volvo Ocean Race and to follow the progress of Team Sanya visit Volvo Ocean Race 2011-2012.
